This was it. The moment you were waiting for. Andrew Luck had carried you to the championship game, and now he was going to lead your fantasy team to glory.
And then he got outscored by his backup quarterback.
Welcome to the cold world of fantasy football, where unexpected results only happen when you don’t want them to. Entering Sunday as fantasy football’s highest scorer in standard leagues, Luck managed just two fantasy points on 109 passing yards and two interceptions against the Dallas Cowboys before getting benched in favor of Matt Hasselbeck.
If Luck’s performance had you feeling sick, though, perhaps Marshawn Lynch calmed your senses by rushing for 113 yards and two touchdowns after missing the entire first quarter with a stomach ache. Or maybe you have Odell Beckham Jr. on your team, and you were going to win your league no matter what.
We hope you were on the right side of “Luck” this week, but if you weren’t … Well, there’s always next year. Let’s take a look at the reasons you probably won or lost your championship matchup this week.
STUDS
Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback, Miami Dolphins: Well, that was unexpected. After two subpar games, Tannehill exploded for nearly 400 yards passing and four touchdowns to top 30 fantasy points for the first time this season and hopefully boost some owners to a championship win.
Frank Gore, Running Back, San Francisco 49ers: Gore turned back the clock with a vintage performance Saturday night, churning for a season-high 158 rushing yards and a touchdown. If you stuck with him this week, you deserve the championship.
Marshawn Lynch, Running Back, Seattle Seahawks: Beast Mode missed the first quarter with a “stomach bug” but spent the rest of the game making the Arizona Cardinals feel sick. His absurd 79-yard touchdown run would be a pretty awesome way for you to win your league.
Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver, New York Giants: This is just getting ridiculous. After his 148-yard, two-touchdown torching of the St. Louis Rams this Sunday, the rookie phenom now has notched 90 or more receiving yards in eight straight games.
Antonio Gates, Tight End, San Diego Chargers: Speaking of winding back the clock, Gates saved his best for last by piling up 92 receiving yards and snagging two touchdowns to lead all tight ends in fantasy points. A classic performance from a fantasy legend.
DUDS
Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Luck hadn’t scored fewer than 16 fantasy points in a game all season before Sunday’s abysmal effort. We’re not sure how many championship games he ruined, but we’re guessing it’s a lot.
Justin Forsett, Running Back, Baltimore Ravens: Forsett has been great all season, but he’s saved his worst for last. He managed just 19 rushing yards on 10 carries Sunday and has 67 rushing yards and no touchdowns in his last two games.
Fred Jackson, Running Back, Buffalo Bills: Jackson had a great matchup against the Oakland Raiders and did absolutely nothing with it, rushing for just 10 yards on six carries. If you started Jackson for the matchup, you aren’t a happy camper right now.
Josh Gordon, Wide Receiver, Cleveland Browns: Remember when Gordon’s return was the spark you needed to make a championship run? After another mediocre output Sunday (four catches for 45 yards), fantasy owners probably are wishing they stuck with their old wideouts.
Dwayne Allen, Tight End, Indianapolis Colts: The Cowboys have allowed tons of fantasy points to tight ends all season, but apparently Allen didn’t get the message. He received only three targets and didn’t record a catch, dashing the hopes of owners hoping for a spark from the usual touchdown machine.
Thumbnail photo via Brad Barr/USA TODAY Sports Images
